Excited to show a few works from my 2015 series, “Martha Says,” in Mending.  This work has never been displayed in Minnesota, so it will be great to have it on view with all these talented artists!

Mending, a mobile art exhibit and conversation of a world in crisis, will be on view in the ArtReach St. Croix Mobile Art Gallery this summer and will be located:

1. Along the Brown’s Creek Trail near the Zephyr Theatre in Stillwater on July 31-August 2
2. Afton State Park on August 21-23
3. Lake Elmo Regional Park Preserve on September 5-7

Due to frequent changes due to health protocols, people are encouraged to check this page for specific gallery hours and location details.

The exhibit, organized with guest curator William G. Franklin, features a selection of damaged objects from local and regional artists that will serve as a catalyst for a conversation on personal histories, human fragility, anxiety and hopes for the future.

“One could say that the works in this exhibit have been rescued by the artists from an otherwise abandoned existence and granted a new timely mission, to facilitate a needed reflection on our human condition, vulnerabilities, and hopes in this time of crisis,” says Franklin. “Bringing together histories from a diverse group of participants, the exhibit aims at conjuring a unique total experience for the visitors. ArtReach’s mobile gallery is literally the vehicle to make this possibility a reality.”

Artists featured in Mending are: Kelly Anderson, Lauren Bina, Elizabeth Black, Guillermo Cuellar, Martha Driessen, Preston Drum, Jennifer Frisbie, Roshan Ganu, Alondra Garza, Jacqueline Gran, Christopher Harrison, Jamie Kalvestran, Michael McColl, Natalie McGuire, Celina McManus, Ellen Mueller, Sue Rowe, Chloe Russell, Alonso Sierralta, Susan Strand-Penman, Xavier Tavera, Suyao Tian, Gustavo Torres, Jessica Turtle and Shun Yong.

Virtual artist talks will be moderated by Franklin. Area residents are invited to be part of the exhibition by submitting a question for the artists regarding damaged, broken or perturbed objects and how they relate to the current local, regional and global crises. The talks will be available through Instagram live and a video loop of the conversations will be part of the exhibit installation.

There will be an opening party (mostly outdoors) at ArtReach St. Croix (224 N. 4^th Street, Stillwater) on Thursday, July 30 from 6-9pm. Visitors are encouraged to pre-register to spread out arrival times at https://bit.ly/2WoB7Ce

This summer I’m teaching a 5-week workshop designed as a brief introduction to visual theory and criticism through reading, writing, and discussion.

We will examine common critical lenses (feminist, marxist, colonialist, etc.), the importance of context, themes such as the everyday, humor, privilege and difference, as well as two topics selected by the class (from a menu of options provided by the instructor). We’ll also look at the history of visual theory and criticism, definitions, and why the study of theory and criticism is included in graduate programs.

Students will learn about a number of resources, from anthologies of writing, to topic-specific books. This course is for anyone 18+ with an interest in the lenses of visual theory and criticism, especially those thinking about pursuing graduate-level studies.

Register Before: July 1
If the minimum enrollment is not met by the deadline above, the class will be canceled on this date. Registration will remain open after this date if the minimum enrollment has been met.

Class Savings: Register on or before May 15 and save $25. Register for more than one class at a time and receive $25 off each additional class (same-day registrations only).

Did you see my posts from last summer, and wish you could take my Walking as Artistic Practice class, but you were far away from Minneapolis? Good news! This summer I’m offering a new version that is online as a remote learning experience!

This workshop is designed as a brief survey of some of the origins, theories, processes, and manifestations of walking as art. Read, watch, and discuss perspectives on walking-based projects. Using this information as a springboard, students will complete their own walking exercises, and execute original walking-based projects. This summer we will be covering the following three topics: walking as ritual, who gets to walk and where?, and archiving walking. Open to students ages 18 and above.

This remote class will be conducted via Google Meet. It will include presentations by the instructor, class discussions, and opportunities for students to share their work.

Required hardware: A computer, tablet, or smartphone with internet access, a camera, and microphone for class meetings and to capture and upload work. Required supplies for the first class: Pen or pencil; notebook or sketchbook; digital or cell phone camera.

Register HERE 

Class Savings: Register on or before May 15 and save $25. Register for more than one class at a time and receive $25 off each additional class (same-day registrations only).

Last week I visited MCAD’s undergraduate Professional Practices course taught by Regan Golden-McNerney and Michael Kareken to talk about how to research grad schools. The students had excellent questions and the conversation was very lively!

 

I enjoyed giving a virtual artist talk to Ross Schlemmer’s History of Social Practice class at UMass Dartmouth this past Tuesday. I focused on a selection of my more participatory projects across a range of media, and fielded very insightful questions from his students!

Ross and I first met at the Teaching Social Practice Conference a few year back.